The first pillar of imaan (faith) in Islam is the belief in Allah. This fundamental belief shapes our understanding of who Allah is through His beautiful names and attributes, as revealed in the Holy Quran. By learning and memorizing these names, we gain insight into the nature of our Creator, which deepens our worship and relationship with Him.
| No. | Name | Transliteration | Meaning | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | الرّحمٰنُ | Ar-Rahmaan | The Beneficent | He who desires goodness and mercy for all His creations. |
| 2 | الرَّحِيمُ | Ar-Raheem | The Merciful | He who demonstrates boundless kindness. |
| 3 | الْمَلِكُ | Al-Malik | The Eternal Lord | The Sovereign Lord, the One with absolute Dominion, whose rule is free from any imperfection. |
| 4 | الْقُدُّوسُ | Al-Quddus | The Most Sacred | The One who is free from any imperfection, and untainted by having children or adversaries. |
| 5 | السَّلاَمُ | As-Salam | The Embodiment of Peace | The One who is without any imperfection. |
| 6 | الْمُؤْمِنُ | Al-Mu’min | The Infuser of Faith | The One who testifies that there is no God but Him, and bears witness to the truthfulness of His believers in their belief that there is no God but Him. |
| 7 | الْمُهَيْمِنُ | Al-Muhaymin | The Preserver of Safety | The One who observes the words and actions of His creations. |
| 8 | الْعَزِيزُ | Al-Aziz | The Mighty One | The Strong One, the Unconquerable Defeater |
| 9 | الْجَبَّارُ | Al-Jabbar | The Omnipotent One | The One whose will alone governs everything that occurs in His Dominion. |
| 10 | الْمُتَكَبِّرُ | Al-Mutakabbir | The Dominant One | The One who is free from the attributes of His creations and any resemblance to them. |
| 11 | الْخَالِقُ | Al-Khaaliq | The Creator | The One who brings everything from nothingness into existence. |
| 12 | الْبَارِئُ | Al-Baari | The Evolver | The Maker, the Creator, who has the power to transform all things. |
| 13 | الْمُصَوِّرُ | Al-Musawwir | The Flawless Shaper | The One who shapes His creations into various forms. |
| 14 | الْغَفَّارُ | Al-Ghaffaar | The Great Forgiver | The Forgiver, the One who continually pardons the sins of His servants. |
| 15 | الْقَهَّارُ | Al-Qahhaar | The All-Prevailing One | The Dominant, the One with absolute power, who is never powerless over anything. |
| 16 | الْوَهَّابُ | Al-Wahhab | The Supreme Bestower | The One who is endlessly generous, giving abundantly without expecting anything in return. He encompasses everything that provides benefit, whether lawful or unlawful. |
| 17 | الرَّزَّاقُ | Ar-Razzaq | The Total Provider | The Sustainer, the Provider. |
| 18 | الْفَتَّاحُ | Al-Fattah | The Supreme Solver | The Opener, the Reliever, the Judge—He who resolves both worldly and spiritual matters for His servants. |
| 19 | اَلْعَلِيْمُ | Al-Alim | The All-Knowing One | The All-Knowing; the One from whom nothing is unknown. |
| 20 | الْقَابِضُ | Al-Qaabid | The Restricting One | The Constrictor, the Withholder, the One who, by His wisdom, limits sustenance, yet expands and provides abundantly through His generosity and mercy. |
| 21 | الْبَاسِطُ | Al-Baasit | The Extender | The Enlarger, the One who, by His wisdom, restricts sustenance and, through His generosity and mercy, provides abundance and expansion. |
| 22 | الْخَافِضُ | Al-Khaafid | The Reducer | The Abaser, the One who lowers whom He wills through His judgment and elevates whom He wills through His blessings. |
| 23 | الرَّافِعُ | Ar-Rafi | The Elevating One | The Exalter, the Elevator, the One who lowers whom He wills through His judgment and raises whom He wills through His blessings. |
| 24 | الْمُعِزُّ | Al-Mu’izz | The Honourer-Bestower | He grants honor to whom He wills, with no one able to diminish His status; and He humbles whom He wills, with no one able to elevate His position. |
| 25 | المُذِلُّ | Al-Muzil | The Abaser | The Dishonorer, the Humiliator, who honors whom He wills, with no one able to diminish His status; and who humiliates whom He wills, with no one able to bestow honor upon Him. |
| 26 | السَّمِيعُ | As-Sami’ | The All-Hearer | The Hearer, the One who perceives all sounds through His Eternal Hearing, without the need for an ear, instrument, or organ. |
| 27 | الْبَصِيرُ | Al-Baseer | The All-Seeing | The All-Noticing, the One who observes everything through His Eternal Vision, without the need for a pupil or any other instrument. |
| 28 | الْحَكَمُ | Al-Hakam | The Impartial Judge | The Judge, the Ruler whose decree is embodied in His Word. |
| 29 | الْعَدْلُ | Al-Adl | The Embodiment of Justice | The Just, the One who has the rightful authority to act as He does. |
| 30 | اللَّطِيفُ | Al-Lateef | The Knower of Subtleties | The Subtle One, the Gracious, the One who shows kindness and bestows blessings upon His servants. |
| 31 | الْخَبِيرُ | Al-Khabeer | The All-Aware One | The One who understands the true nature of all things. |
| 32 | الْحَلِيمُ | Al-Haleem | The Clement One | The Forbearing, the One who postpones punishment for those who deserve it, allowing the possibility of forgiveness. |
| 33 | الْعَظِيمُ | Al-Azeem | The Magnificent One | The Great One, the Mighty, deserving of attributes of Exaltation, Glory, Praise, and Purity from all imperfection. |
| 34 | الْغَفُورُ | Al-Ghafoor | The Great Forgiver | The All-Forgiving, the Forgiver, the One who pardons abundantly. |
| 35 | الشَّكُورُ | Ash-Shakoor | The Acknowledging One | The Grateful, the Appreciative, the One who bestows abundant rewards for even a small act of obedience. |
| 36 | الْعَلِيُّ | Al-Aliyy | The Sublime One | The Most High, the One who is free from the attributes of His creations. |
| 37 | الْكَبِيرُ | Al-Kabeer | The Great One | The Most Great, the Great, the One who surpasses everything in grandeur. |
| 38 | الْحَفِيظُ | Al-Hafiz | The Guarding One | The Preserver, the Protector, the One who safeguards whatever and whoever He chooses to protect. |
| 39 | المُقيِت | Al-Muqeet | The Sustaining One | The Maintainer, the Guardian, the Provider, the One with the Power. |
| 40 | الْحسِيبُ | Al-Haseeb | The Reckoning One | The Reckoner, the One who ensures justice and fulfillment. |
| 41 | الْجَلِيلُ | Al-Jaleel | The Majestic One | The Sublime One, the Beneficent, the One endowed with supreme power and exalted status. |
| 42 | الْكَرِيمُ | Al-Kareem | The Bountiful One | The Generous One, the Gracious, the One endowed with immense power and exalted status. |
| 43 | الرَّقِيبُ | Ar-Raqeeb | The Watchful One | The Watcher, the One from whom nothing is hidden. This attribute reflects His all-encompassing knowledge. |
| 44 | الْمُجِيبُ | Al-Mujeeb | The Responding One | The Responsive, the Hearer, the One who answers those in need when they ask and delivers those who call upon Him. |
| 45 | الْوَاسِعُ | Al-Waasi’ | The All-Pervading One | The Vast, the All-Encompassing, the Knowledgeable. |
| 46 | الْحَكِيمُ | Al-Hakeem | The Wise One | The Wise, the Supreme Judge, the One whose actions are always just and correct. |
| 47 | الْوَدُودُ | Al-Wadud | The Loving One | The One who loves His believing servants, and whom His believing servants love in return. His love for them manifests as His will to show them mercy and bestow praise upon them. |
| 48 | الْمَجِيدُ | Al-Majeed | The Glorious One | The Most Glorious One, endowed with perfect power, exalted status, compassion, generosity, and kindness. |
| 49 | الْبَاعِثُ | Al-Ba’ith | The Infuser of New Life | The Resurrector, the Raiser (from death), the One who revives His servants after death for the purpose of reward or punishment. |
| 50 | الشَّهِيدُ | Ash-Shaheed | The All Observing Witness | The Witness, the One from whom nothing is hidden. |
| 51 | الْحَقُّ | Al-Haqq | The Embodiment of Truth | The Truth, the True, the One who exists in reality. |
| 52 | الْوَكِيلُ | Al-Wakeel | The Universal Trustee | The Trustee, the One who provides assurance and upon whom reliance is placed. |
| 53 | الْقَوِيُّ | Al-Qawwiyy | The Strong One | The Most Strong, the Strong, the One with absolute power. |
| 54 | الْمَتِينُ | Al-Mateen | The Firm One | The One with immense, uninterrupted power who never grows weary. |
| 55 | الْوَلِيُّ | Al-Waliyy | The Protecting Associate | The Protecting Friend, the Supporter. |
| 56 | الْحَمِيدُ | Al-Hameed | The Sole-Laudable One | The Praiseworthy, the One who is deserving of praise. |
| 57 | الْمُحْصِي | Al-Muhsee | The All-Enumerating One | The Counter, the Reckoner, the One who knows the count of all things. |
| 58 | الْمُبْدِئُ | Al-Mubdi | The Originator | The One who originated human beings, that is, He created them. |
| 59 | الْمُعِيدُ | Al-Mueed | The Restorer | The Reproducer, the One who brings creatures back to life after death. |
| 60 | الْمُحْيِي | Al-Muhyi | The Maintainer of life | The Restorer, the Giver of Life, the One who created a living human from lifeless semen. He revives worn-out bodies by returning their souls on the Day of Resurrection and enlivens hearts with the light of knowledge. |
| 61 | اَلْمُمِيتُ | Al-Mumeet | The Inflictor of Death | The Creator of Death, the Destroyer, the One who turns the living into the dead. |
| 62 | الْحَيُّ | Al-Hayyu | The Eternally Living One | The Alive, the One whose life is distinct from our own, not based on a combination of soul, flesh, or blood. |
| 63 | الْقَيُّومُ | Al-Qayyoom | The Self-Subsisting One | The One who endures forever and never ceases. |
| 64 | الْوَاجِدُ | Al-Waajid | The Pointing One | The Perceiver, the Finder, the Rich who is never in need. Al-Wajd signifies richness. |
| 65 | الْمَاجِدُ | Al-Maajid | The All-Noble One | The Glorious, the One who is supremely exalted. |
| 66 | الْواحِدُ | Al-Waahid | The Only One | The Unique, the One, the One without a partner. |
| 67 | اَلاَحَدُ | Al-Ahad | The Sole One | The One who is unparalleled and singular, with no equal or partner. |
| 68 | الصَّمَدُ | As-Samad | The Supreme Provider | The Eternal, the Self-Sufficient, the Master who is depended upon for all matters and to whom all needs are referred. |
| 69 | الْقَادِرُ | Al-Qaadir | The Omnipotent One | The Able, the Capable, the One who possesses complete and unmatched Power. |
| 70 | الْمُقْتَدِرُ | Al-Muqtadir | The All Authoritative One | The Powerful, the Dominant, the One with absolute and flawless Power, from whom nothing is withheld. |
| 71 | الْمُقَدِّمُ | Al-Muqaddim | The Expediting One | The Expediter, the Promoter, the One who arranges everything in its rightful place. He advances what He wills and delays what He chooses. |
| 72 | الْمُؤَخِّرُ | Al-Mu’akhkhir | The Procrastinator | The Delayer, the Retarder, the One who arranges everything in its proper order. He brings forward what He desires and postpones what He chooses. |
| 73 | الأوَّلُ | Al-Awwal | The Very First | The First, the One whose existence is eternal and has no point of origin. He is beyond the bounds of time, existing without a beginning or end. |
| 74 | الآخِرُ | Al-Akhir | The Infinite Last One | The Last, the One whose existence is infinite and has no end. He transcends all limitations of time, existing perpetually beyond the confines of the temporal world. |
| 75 | الظَّاهِرُ | Az-Zaahir | The Perceptible | The Manifest, the One above whom nothing exists and beneath whom nothing lies, thus He is without a defined place. He, the Exalted, has an existence that is evident through undeniable proofs, free from the misconceptions associated with physical attributes. |
| 76 | الْبَاطِنُ | Al-Baatin | The Imperceptible | The Hidden, the One above whom nothing exists and beneath whom nothing lies, thus He is without a defined place. He, the Exalted, possesses an existence that is evident through undeniable proofs, and He is free from the illusions associated with physical attributes. |
| 77 | الْوَالِي | Al-Waali | The Holder of Supreme Authority | The Governor, the One who possesses all things and oversees their affairs with wisdom and authority. He is the ultimate manager, directing and sustaining creation according to His divine will and purpose. |
| 78 | الْمُتَعَالِي | Al-Muta’aali | The Extremely Exalted One | The Most Exalted, the High Exalted, the One who is completely free from the attributes of creation. He stands apart from all that exists, transcending the limitations and qualities of the created world. |
| 79 | الْبَرُّ | Al-Barr | The Fountain-Head of Truth | The Source of All Goodness, the Righteous, the One who shows kindness to His creatures, providing them with sustenance and granting support, protection, and special mercy to whomever He wills among them. |
| 80 | التَّوَابُ | At-Tawwaab | The Ever-Acceptor of Repentance | The Relenting, the One who bestows the gift of repentance upon whomever He chooses among His creatures and graciously accepts their repentance. |
| 81 | الْمُنْتَقِمُ | Al-Muntaqim | The Retaliator | The Avenger, the One who triumphs over His enemies and brings punishment for their sins, signifying the One who may ultimately bring their destruction. |
| 82 | العَفُوُّ | Al-Afuwwu | The Supreme Pardoner | The Forgiver, the One whose capacity for forgiveness is vast and boundless. He pardons generously, encompassing all who seek His mercy with an infinite and comprehensive absolution. |
| 83 | الرَّؤُوفُ | Ar-Ra’oof | The Benign One | The Compassionate, the One endowed with boundless Mercy. Allah’s Mercy is His will to bestow grace and favor upon whomever He chooses among His creatures. |
| 84 | مَالِكُ الْمُلْكِ | Maalik-ul-Mulk | The Eternal Possessor of Sovereignty | The Sovereign Controller, the One who holds supreme authority over all dominions and grants power and rulership to whomever He wills. He directs and allocates dominion according to His divine wisdom and will. |
| 85 | ذُوالْجَلاَلِ وَالإكْرَامِ | Zul-Jalaali-wal-Ikram | The Possessor of Majesty and Honour | The Lord of Majesty and Bounty, the One who is supremely deserving of exaltation and reverence, never to be denied. His grandeur commands respect, and His generosity bestows endless blessings. |
| 86 | الْمُقْسِطُ | Al-Muqsit | The Just One | The Equitable, the One who administers perfect justice in all His judgments. |
| 87 | الْجَامِعُ | Al-Jaami’u | The Assembler of Scattered Creations | The Gatherer, the One who will bring together all creatures on the Day of Judgment, a day about which there is no doubt. |
| 88 | الْغَنِيُّ | Al-Ghaniyyu | The Self-Sufficient One | The Self-Sufficient One, who is completely independent and free from any need for His creation. His existence and sovereignty are absolute, relying on nothing outside of Himself. |
| 89 | الْمُغْنِي | Al-Mughniyyu | The Bestower of Sufficiency | The Enricher, the One who fulfills the needs and provides abundantly for His creatures. |
| 90 | اَلْمَانِعُ | Al-Maani’oo | The Preventer | The Withholder, the One who restrains and limits provision or mercy according to His wisdom. He decides what to withhold and when, ensuring balance and order in His creation. |
| 91 | الضَّارَّ | Ad-Daarr | The Distressor | The One who decrees harm to reach whomever He wills and bestows benefit upon whomever He wills. |
| 92 | النَّافِعُ | An-Naafi’oo | The Bestower of Benefits | The Propitious, the One who determines harm for whomever He wills and grants benefit to whomever He chooses. |
| 93 | النُّورُ | An-Noor | The Prime Light | The Light, the One who illuminates the path for His creation, providing guidance and clarity. He dispels darkness and confusion, leading those who seek His direction towards truth and understanding. |
| 94 | الْهَادِي | Al-Haadi | The Provider of Guidance | The Guide, the One through whose guidance His believers find their way, leading all living beings towards what is beneficial for them and shielding them from harm. |
| 95 | الْبَدِيعُ | Al-Badi’oo | The Unique One | The Incomparable, the One who created and shaped the universe without any prior example, bringing forth all that exists from His unique will and design. |
| 96 | اَلْبَاقِي | Al-Baaqi | The Ever Surviving One | The Everlasting, the One for whom the state of non-existence is impossible, existing eternally without beginning or end. |
| 97 | الْوَارِثُ | Al-Waaris | The Eternal Inheritor | The Heir, the One whose existence endures forever, remaining constant through all time and beyond. |
| 98 | الرَّشِيدُ | Ar-Rasheed | The Guide to Path of Rectitude | The Guide to the Right Path, the One who directs and leads others towards truth and righteousness. |
| 99 | الصَّبُورُ | As-Saboor | The Extensively Enduring One | The Patient, the One who does not hastily punish sinners, allowing them time to repent and seek forgiveness. |
Allah says in the Quran:
- And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.. (Quran 7:180)
- Allah – there is no deity except Him. To Him belong the best names. (Quran 20:8)
- He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. (Quran 59:24)
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
- Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, “Allah has ninety-nine names, i.e. one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.” (Sahih Bukhari 54:23)
- Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: There are ninety-nine names of Allah; he who commits them to memory would get into Paradise. Verily, Allah is Odd (He is one, and it is an odd number) and He loves odd number..” (Sahih Muslim Book-48 Hadith-5)
Understanding Allah’s names is not just an intellectual exercise; it is essential for cultivating love, fear, and trust in Him. How can we fully worship and connect with our Lord, The Almighty, if we don’t truly know Him? Embracing these attributes enriches our spiritual journey and guides us in living a life aligned with His teachings.